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2023 Copello Health Advocacy Fellowship

Our 2022–2023 Cohort

Cynthia Davis

Cynthia Davis

Cynthia Davis was born in Albany, New York. She served her residency at the University of Colorado in Denver where a county indigent hospital and the university system helped her understand the different systems of care.

Her first practice was in Hannibal, Missouri where she focused on the underserved and high needs. Next, she experienced 21 years in Sioux Falls, MO in a group practice (1999 – 2006) followed by her own practice (2006-2020).

She has worked at Sanford Chamberlain Hospital, SD since 2020 with a high risk and very
diverse population including Native Americans, farmers/ranchers, and Hutterites. Learning
advocacy skills to help the women of SD is very important to her. She enjoys raising her four children and is proud of their spirit of independence, inclusivity, and critical thinking. She enjoys spending her weeks off with her husband, dog, and multiple cats. She loves piano, reading, knitting and extreme lawn mowing.

Rebecca Fijimura

Rebecca Fijimura

Rebecca Fujimura attended The Ohio State University and went on to medical school at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, where she earned her MD and completed the international health program. During this time she did medical missions to Eswatini and Moria Refugee Camp. She completed family medicine residency at MedStar/ Georgetown- Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. During this time she participated in the Georgetown global health track, where she was the chief resident and participated in international work with Child Family Health International, University of Namibia School of Medicine, and Mann Deshi Foundation. She holds positions on the Global Operations Committee for the Consortium of Universities for Global Health and the Board of Bridging Medical Gaps Collaboration. She has worked with the American Academy of Family Practice Robert Graham Center as a policy scholar and contributes to the medical unit of ABC news. She has a strong passion for health equity, medical and education access, health media, and policy. She is currently a Global Health Fellow with Contra Costa/University of California San Francisco Global Health Fellowship, where she is working in Malawi on Family Medicine education through the University of Malawi College of Medicine and Partners in Health. In her free time she enjoys hiking, spinning and theater.

Joel Burnett

Joel Burnett

Dr. Joel Burnett, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon, where he practices general internal medicine. He is Co-Director of the Advocacy Curriculum for the OHSU Internal Medicine Residency Program. He’s served on the Education Committee and the Ethics, Professionalism, and Human Rights Committee for the American College of Physicians, and currently serves as Chair of the Health & Public Policy Committee for the Oregon Chapter of American College of Physicians. In this role, he’s worked to develop and organize advocacy engagement and education in Oregon. His interests include expanding access to affordable healthcare, gun violence prevention, and teaching advocacy skills to the next generation of physician-advocates. Dr. Burnett received his medical degree from the University of Kansas and completed his residency training in internal medicine at Oregon Health & Science University.

Subhjit Sekhon

Subhjit Sekhon

Dr. Subhjit Sekhon was raised in Fresno, California. After high school, she attended the 6 year combined BA/MD program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Between her 5th and 6th years of medical school, Subhjit took a gap year to obtain her MSCI at Washington University in St. Louis. She is currently a third year Obstetrics and Gynecology resident at University of Missouri-Kansas City. She is particularly interested in understanding and decreasing disparities in care for refugee and immigrant patients, and ultimately wants to expand her career into health policy and global health to create sustainable infrastructures in low and middle-income countries. Outside of medicine, Dr. Sekhon enjoys traveling, spending times with family and friends, and yoga.

Reuben Mathew

Reuben Mathew

Reuben Mathew is a 4th year medical student at St. George’s University School of Medicine. He received his MSPH in International Health at Johns Hopkins where he first became involved in affordable prescription drug advocacy at the Maryland legislature. He later worked with an organizing nonprofit and co-authored a report on price variation on common medications. In addition to affordable medications, his policy interests include patent reform, global health equity, and preventive medicine. Reuben grew up in the underrated metropolis of Utica, NY and in his spare time loves to watch basketball and soccer, take boxing lessons and go thrift shopping.

Spencer Asay

Spencer Asay

Spencer Asay is a second-year medical student at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Originally from northern Utah, he spent two years as a volunteer in Cambodia before completing his bachelor’s degree and subsequently moving to Chicago to attend medical school. He aspires to be a general internist with a special interest in health and social care integration strategies to improve population health. Having majored in nutrition, Spencer has a specific passion for anti-hunger advocacy and policy initiatives to ameliorate food insecurity. His overarching career aim is to continually advocate for a more affordable, accessible, and equitable U.S. healthcare system. A former sprinter turned long-distance runner, Spencer is training to run his first marathon by the end of 2022.

Tejasvi Gowda

Tejasvi Gowda

Dr. Tejasvi Gowda (she/her) is a future abortion provider and third year resident physician in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Rochester General Hospital in Rochester, NY. She received her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her professional interests include family planning, advocacy, and increasing reproductive health access for marginalized communities. She is the incoming Vice Chair for the Junior Fellow Advisory Council of the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists District II.

Alyssa Lambrecht

Alyssa Lambrecht

Alyssa Lambrecht is a 3rd year medical student at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. After helping to create a health policy advocacy student organization at her medical school, she found a passion for health equity and action-oriented leadership roles. As an aspiring oncologist and osteopathic student, she aims to facilitate physical, emotional, and spiritual healing by providing holistic, patient-centered care. Her interests include rural and underserved health care practice, medical student education on their role in government healthcare policy development and creating a more inclusive and welcoming community in medicine. Her hobbies include hiking, fitness, and cheering on her alma mater, the Purdue Boilermakers.

Itisha Jefferson

Kelsi Manley

Shetal Shah

About

A. Gene Copello

Dr. A. Gene Copello

Launched in 2010 as the A. Gene Copello Physician Leadership Summit, the NPA continued to provide professional development to selected physicians from across the country through the expanded Copello Health Advocacy Fellowship. In December of 2019, NPA merged with Doctors for America (DFA) to leverage the mission and impact of both organizations. This fellowship continues to honor the life and work of Dr. Gene Copello through ongoing action on behalf of patients.

Gene had more than 20 years of HIV/AIDS program and public policy experience, most recently as Executive Director of the AIDS Institute and as an Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for Public Policy Research and Ethics at the University of South Florida College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine. He had also served as Chief of HIV Services for the City of San Francisco and spent six years as Executive Director of the San Mateo County AIDS Program in California.  He began his career in HIV/AIDS as a faculty member at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where he also founded and directed the Vanderbilt AIDS Project. Previously he served as the President of the International Society for AIDS Education and Prevention and was the founding Community Co-Chair of the Southern AIDS Coalition. Gene received his doctoral degree in medical ethics and public policy from Vanderbilt University as well as a master of divinity degree in ethics.  He earned his master of social work degree from the University of Tennessee.

Program Overview

Doctors For America’s Copello Fellowship program is a unique opportunity to build leadership and advocacy skills to improve the health of your patients and community. Twelve extraordinary leaders will meet monthly to learn from experts and each other about advocacy, action planning, media relations and communication strategy, engaging your legislators and so much more!

The program is open to medical students, residents, practicing physicians and retirees – your willingness to learn and make a difference is all that is needed. You must be able to attend monthly advocacy leadership meetings (2nd Thursday 8 pm ET), participate in Impact Area subcommittee meetings, and attend DFA’s National Leadership Conference in Washington, DC, June 6 – 8, 2024, and the program graduation at the National Leadership Conference in 2024. (Time commitment 1 – 2 hours per week.)

2024-25 Cohort
2023-24 Cohort
2021-22 Cohort

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